A senior leader, who did not wish to be named, told ET that the Janata Dal (United) has told its alliance partner categorically, "Count us out if the election is held under Modi's leadership."

Days after the Gujarat chief minister forced party president Nitin Gadkari to eat humble pie at the party's national executive meet in Mumbai, JD (U) has served a reminder of Modi's polarising impact across the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The development is not surprising, given JD (U) leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's serious differences with Modi over the Gujarat chief minister's perceived anti-Muslim image. However, it has further sharpened the fault lines within the party and the larger coalition, which will seek to unseat the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

"There is a lot of time to decide on who will be the prime ministerial candidate. But whenever the party decides, we will take cognizance of the sentiments of our alliance partners," BJP leader and Bihar's deputy chief minister Sushil Modi told ET. "The BJP cannot take a suo motu decision."

The BJP leadership appreciates that if the party does not regain momentum ahead of the next general election, Nitish Kumar may find more attractive options outside the NDA.

That the JD (U) may not be the only stumbling block for Modi's national aspirations became apparent on Friday, when the BJP mouthpiece Kamal Sandesh appeared to target him. "As one ascends the ladder, his understanding should also elevate. But, the irony is that, it is always seen that on reaching the top, even after knowing that a day will come when he has to come down, he tries to belittle the ones below him," said an editorial on the national executive meet, without naming Modi, who had taken centrestage in Mumbai.

"When we applaud a person more than required then we in fact ourselves open the door of his possible distraction. Similarly, if one is criticised in extremity, we open the door for his possible exit," the editorial added.

According to party leaders, who did not wish to be named, Modi's pressure tactics to oust his rival Sanjay Joshi did not go down well with a section of BJP. Agreeing to attend the meet only after the Gadkari-appointed Joshi resigned from the national executive, Modi confined his address to attacking the UPA. Yet, the impression that he had dwarfed his rivals within the party through sheer power play came to stick.

The editorial could also have been directed at other leaders such as former chief ministers BS Yeddyurappa and Vasundhara Raje, who have taken on the central leadership in recent days, the leaders quoted above said.

The editorial also said the happenings in BJP-ruled Karnataka and Gujarat, along with its Rajasthan unit, have deeply hurt sentiments of the common people.

A leader privy with the matter told ET that after his triumph in Mumbai, Modi had a meeting with Nitin Gadkari and the duo discussed the party's strategy for the assembly polls in Gujarat later this year. Modi even invited Gadkari to the state, the leader said.

The disquiet within the BJP and JD (U)'s swift response, however, show that Modi's growing stature within the party may not equal his increasing acceptance within the party and the alliance.